The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-30

and Of one thing YOU may
rest assured, and that is, that every soul, |
no matter what sphere 1t may nhahit, will
have the everlasting opportunity OF doing
right. ~
al deaths ends all, and II this handful
of dust over which YOU weep is all there
is. YOU have this .consolatlon Your son is
not within the power OF this reverend gen,
tIcmnn's God-ihat il something. Your
son does not suffer. Mex, Ia q lie Of Joy
is the drcamless sleep Of death
Does il not seem to you infinitely absurd
to call orthodox christianity "a consolU-
la,ion?" Here in this world, where every
human being is enshroudcd in cloud and
mist-whcre all lives are filled with mis-
takes where no one claims To hc perfect,
is il "a consolation" Ia say that "thc
smallest sin deserves eternal pain?" Is it
possible for the ingenuity ol man 10 cN-
tract from the doctrine OF he'll one drop,
one ray, of consolation Ii that doc
trinc he true, is not your God an infinite
criminal? Why should he have created
mcounted billions destined To suffer for
ever? Why did he not leave them mcon-
scous dust? Compared with this crime,
any crime that any man can 10y any posi-
bility commit is u virtue.
only the other day saw q beautiful
girl-a paralytic and yet her brave and
cheerful spirit shone over the wreck aud
ruin OF her body, like morning on the
desert. What would think Of myself
had ! the power 10y word 10 send the
blood through all her withcrcd limbs
frcighted again with life, should | refuse
THE VIRTUES AIR SECULAR.
Most thcologians seem to imagine that
the virtues have been produced by and are
really the children Of religion,
Religion has TO do with the supernatural
IL defines our duties and obligations Ia
God. Ii ppscribes certain course Of
conduct by means Of which happiness can
be attained in another world. The result
here is only an incident. The virtues arc
secular. They have nothing whatever To
do with the supernatural, and are Of no
kindred 10 any religion 4 man may be-
honest, courageous, chgrmblc, indus,ri-
Gus, hospiiablc, loving and pure without
being religious-that IL 10 say, without
any belief in the supernatural, and n man
may be the exact opposite and at the same
time q sincere believer In the creed of any
church that il to say, in the existence Of
n personal God. the inspiration Of the
scriptures and the divinity Of Jesus Christ.
4 man vino bcicvcs IN she Bible may ~
may not bc kind To his lnnily, aud n man
who is kind aud loving in his family may
or may not believe in the Bible.
In order that you may see the effect nj
belief in the formation of character, It Is
only necessary Ia call your attention 10 IN,
fact that your Bible shows that the devil
himself is n believer in the existence u
your God, in the inspiration OF the script
urcs and in the divinity Of Jesus Christ
lie not only believes these things, hut D.,
knows them, and yet, in spite oi Il ALL he
remains devil still.
Few religions have been bad enough e
destroy all the natural goodness in th,
1 human heart. In the deepest midnight ~
/ superstition some natural virtues, lik,
sias, have been visible in the heavens
I Nau has committed cV'ry crime Ia tn
name oi chrisliani,y-,A at least, crime
! that involved the comm Ssion II all Others
| Those who paid for labor with the lash
aud who made blows legal tender, wcp
/ christians Those who engaged in th,
/ slave trade wcrc believers In persona
God One slave ship WAS called 9Th,
| jehovah Thusc VINO pursued will
hounds the fugitive led by the northern
star prayed icrycntly 10 Christ to crown
| their efforts with success, and the stcalcn
Of babes, just before falling asleep, com
mcndcd their souls 10 the keeping Of the
Most High.
TiIr APOSTLES.
As YOU have mentioned the apostles, lei
me call your attention Z rtn incident.
N.sa F..ssa.ftal.F Nl..s II Anuntua a d.
/ Sapphira? The apostles, having nothin,
themselves, conceived che idea II hayin,
/ all things IN common. Their follower
/ who had something were a. sell what littl'
| they had and turn the proceeds over q
/ these theological iinancipn'. II seems tina
/ Annnias aud Sapphira had piece oi land
/ They sold II, and after talking the mattel
| over, not being entirely satisfied with ia,
collatcrals, concluded to keep little jus
enough 10 keep them irnIn starvation !
the good and pious bankers should alb
scond.
When Ananias brought the money, N
was asked whether lac had kept back par
Of the price. lie said that be- had not
| Whcrupon God, the compassionate
struck him dead. A. soon az the corps
was removed, the apostles sent wv hi
! Nllfs lifN ulU NV IiAi wv NNHl wv llNN
band had been killed. They dclibcricl,
set trap for her life. Not QUE II then
was good enough, or noble enough a. pm
her on her guard; they allowed her 81 bc
licyc that her husband hal told his story
aud that she was free ~ cprubomtc VIA
lac had said. She probably felt that the!
were giving her more lhm they could nj
iorl, aud, with the instinct oL woman
wanted 10 keep little. She denied tia
any part Of the price Dad hccn kept back
That moment The arrow u divine ven
gpancc entered her heat.
Will YOU be kind cnaigh a. tell me YOU
opinion Of the apostles in the light oi thi
-pry? Certainly, murder In create
crime than mendncity.
You have been good enough, in a kin'
Of taihcrly way, 20 give me some advice
You say that ought ~ soften my colur-
and that my words wouldbc more weight.
" not ~ strong. DO ycu rnlly desire tia
should add weight 10 my worl.l "
you really wish me tp -uccccd2 II III
commander of one army should scn,
word 10 the general OF the other that hi
men were firing too high. 40 YOU Thin
the general would b. ulislcdY Can yo
conceive OF his changing his Ordcn "
reason 81 the mcssage7
deny that the Pilgrims crossed III
sea Ia lind freedom a. worship God Ia th
forests Of the new world They came no
In the interest 81 freedom. II ncvc
entered their minds that other men ha
the same right Ia worship tod accordin
10 the dictates Of their conuicnccs thu
the Pilgrims thcmsclycs lmd. The momer
they had powy they ven 'ady to VIII
and brand, 10 imprison and burn. The
lid not believe In rclirorl freedom. The
had no more idea Of lhcgy Of conscicnc
than Jehovah.
HEROES AND UrIlHg.
] do not say that ihcr, T. no place IN w.
world Tor heroes aud ni7.r.. On the con